Heel lock and arch cushion



Aug. 1o, 1937. H. M. CRULL 2,089,344

HEEL LOCK AND ARCH CUSHION Filed March ll, 1956 /N Ven/roe fla/6H M. CHUM.,

4T To @NEX Patented Aug. 1G, 1937 Y NiTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE HEEL LOCK AND ARCH CUSHION Application March 11,

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to footwear, and more particularly to a heel-lock and arch cushion.

, As is known to those familiar with the shoe o art and with foot anatomy, the foot is divided into three major portions, namely, the posterior portion or tarsus, the intermediate portion or metatarsus, and the anterior portion or phalanges. Located generally to the inner side of the foot and extending from the posterior portion through the intermediate portion is the longitudinal arch. Located at the intermediate portion of the foot is the metatarsal or transverse arch, which assists in supporting the foot along with the longitudinal arch. In wallnng, the weight of the body is continually shifting from the posterior portion to the intermediate and anterior portions of the foot, thereby placing a continuous strain on the longitudinal and metatarsal arches of the foot. Modern shoe construction, particularly as relates to womens footwear, frequently does not provide sufficient support for either the longitudinal arch or the metatarsal arch, dueV to the substantially un- `yielding materials of which the shoe is constructed and the relatively high heel styles employed. In addition, the high heel used on womens footwear places the heel of the foot so far above the toes or anterior portion that the foot slides forwardly into the shoe in walking.

An object of the present invention is to provide cushioning and supporting means for the metatarsal arch.

A further object is to provide means for cush- I ioning and supporting the longitudinal arch.

A further object is to provide a means for locking the heel of the foot in the rear of the shoe to prevent the foot from sliding forwardly while walking.

A further object is to provide a device which may be simply and cheaply manufactured and easily installed, either as a part of the shoe as originally manufactured, or which may be separately manufactured and subsequently inserted after completed.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a plan view of a sock lining for a shoe showing in dotted lines the improved heel-lock and arch cushion therebeneath.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view, parts being broken away, of a lining for a shoe showing the im- 55 proved heel-lock and arch cushion in place.

1936, Serial No. 68,185

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of Fig. 3, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a View in elevation of a Womans shoe, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section to better show the disposition of the improved heel-lock and arch cushion.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'I--l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I indicates the outer sole of a shoe, the insole being indicated by 2, the upper by 3, the lining by 4, and the heel by 5. Considering Fig. 1, 6 indicates the inner side of the shoe and 'I the outer. The improved heel-lock and arch cushion generally indicated by the numeral 8 is disposed towards the inner side of the shoe. In detail, the cushion or pad comprises an irregularly outlined gure (see Fig. l) including front, intermediate and rear portions indicated respectively by 9, I0, and I I, as shown in Fig. l. The pad is bi-planar and is of a thickness of about one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch. A bevel I2 extends around the full outline, providing easement for the foot onto and off the pad. As can be seen from Fig. 7, the pad in place has the intermediate portion I extending from the supporting insole up along the upper part of the shoe to more correctly cushion the longitudinal arch of the foot. Whether inserted at manufacture, or subsequently, the pad is positioned directly beneath the lining and above the insole, being held in place by an application of cement Il on the upper and lower surfaces thereof. The pad is preferably made of sponge rubber, but other resilient materials may suiiice. It will be observed, by referring to Figs. l and 6, that the pad is disposed so that the rear edge I5 is located at the forward edge of the os calsis or heel bone I3, the approximate location of the bones I6 of the foot being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby providing an effective stop, which prevents the foot from sliding forwardly in the shoe. The rearmost point I8 of the edge I5 lies approximately at the breast of the shoe, whence the edge extends forwardly on a diagonal of approximately forty-'five degrees. The intermediate portion I0 of the pad falls beneath the longitudinal arch and serves to cushion the same in its rise and fall when under the strain of walking. The forward portion 9 of the pad lies beneath and cushions the metatarsal arch.

Therefore, it can be seen that there has been provided an effective heel lock and arch cushion which positively prevents the foot from sliding forwardly in the shoe while walking, and cushions both the longitudinal and the metatarsal arches, the latter function assisting in preventing fallen arches, which usually result when the foot is subjected to continuous walking strain totally unsupported, as is the casein the conventional shoe.

It is to be understood that the above description is given for the purpose of illustration and by way of example, and not for limitation, the invention being limited only by the following claims,

What I claim is:

1. A heel-lock pad of resilient material for insertion in a shoe between the lining and the inner sole, said pad having its upper and lower surfaces in parallel planes, said pad being of irregular outline and having a straight rear bevelled edge extending diagonally to the body of the pad, the rearrnost point of said rear edge adapted to lie above the breast or a heel on the inner side of a shoe to dispose the rear edge at the forward edge of the heel bone position to serve as a heel stop to prevent the foot sliding forwardly in the shoe.

2. A heel-lock and arch cushion for insertion in a shoe between the lining and the inner sole comprising a thin irregularly shaped pad of resilient material, said pad having its upper and lower surfaces in parallel planes and being bevelled around its periphery, said pad further having a rear portion terminating in a diagonally disposed straight edge Which in place rests with the rearmost point thereof above the breast of the heel on the inner side of the shoe thereby disposing the. diagonal edge at the forward edge of a heel bone to serve as a heel stop to prevent the foot sliding forwardly in the shoe.

3. A heel-lock and arch cushion for insertion in a shoe between the lining and the inner sole comprising a thin biplanar irregularly shaped pad of resilient material bevelled around its periphery, said pad having front, intermediate, and rear portions, the rear portion terminating in a diagonally disposed straight edge which in place rests withV the rearmost point thereof above the breast of the heel on the inner side of the shoe thereby disposing the diagonal edge at the .forward edge of the heel bone to serve as a stop to prevent the foot sliding forwardly in the shoe, the intermediate portion positioned to cushion the longitudinal arch, and the front portion positioned to cushion the metatarsal arch.

4. A heel-lock comprising a pad of resilient material adapted to be inserted between the lining and the inner sole of a shoe, said pad being biplanar and including a straight edge bevelled to provide a surface joining the said two planes thereof, said straight edge when said pad is in place in a shoe being adapted to extend from a point overlying the breast of the heel at the inner side of the shoe forwardly at an angle. to the longitudinal dimension of the shoe to eifect a positive heel-stop.

HUGH M. CRULL. 

